Economic Development Journal - Winter 2009

Coming Full Circle: The End of the Small Business Era?by Ed Bee, CEcDDavid Birch’s research on small business turned the economic development profession on its head in the 1980s. The author finds that the share of U.S. jobs in small business hasn’t changed since 1980, invalidating Birch’s findings about the dominance of small business in job growth. Tags: Analysis and Impacts, Business Attraction and Marketing

Benchmarking Innovation: How to Build a Regional Innovation Indexby Erik R. Pages and Graham S. ToftAs economic development organizations become more aggressive in supporting innovation and entrepreneurship, they must find ways to better understand how their regional innovation economy operates and how their programs affect individuals, businesses, and other key stakeholders. Tags: Entrepreneurship and Small Business Development, Analysis and Impacts, Business Climate

Arts, Culture, and Economic Development: Planning the Creative Age in San Antonioby Steve Nivin, Ph.D. and David PlettnerThis article focuses on the economic impact of the creative sector across the country and discusses San Antonio’s efforts in developing and implementing its strategic plan: The Cultural Collaborative. Tags: Business Climate, Entrepreneurship and Small Business Development, Quality of Life, Tourism

BRAC: A Regional Opportunity - Preparing for Growth in the Fort Bragg Regionby Paul R. DordalEstablishing a task force for a BRAC growth community changed the paradigm, with the Fort Bragg region expecting a population growth of 40,000 people by 2013. The Fort Bragg/ Pope Air Force Base BRAC Regional Task Force is a partnership of governments encompassing 11 counties and 73 municipalities. Tags: Federal, Rural Development